No Hot dogs on Opening Day?

Why do you feel that it is your place to judge the value of what I do to draw myself closer to God?

As I said, I abstain from meat on Friday (all year, not only during Lent) for the purpose of developing greater self control (to better resist temptation to sin) and to increase my awareness of the importance of the spiritual over the temporal.

Please cite the chapter and verse which grants you the authority to be critical or judgemental of that decision.

As I said before, I find it odd that some others would find my fasting (as I choose to fast, not as you choose for me to fast) to be offensive.

BTW, was Daniel wrong to do the same? Look in the Bible to see if you can find what I am referring to.

 

Trying to understand said


"Catholics don't abstain from meat because we believe it to be particularly important to God, but rather as an exercise in self denial for the purpose of developing a greater awareness that the pleasures in life are not as important as our spiritual growth. Things like developing greater self control so that we will be better able to resist the temptations of sin.

I find it odd that some people are offended by that. "

I dont think it is this that I am offended by, as much as how much this law of spiritual growth flip flops and changes over the years.. Its silly really.. A couple of years ago, at my husbands grandmothers funeral, the priest deemed that it was okay to eat the lunch meat trays, even though her funeral was on a friday in lent.. He could do it just like that.. Its almost silly.. And, when my father was growing up, you couldnt eat meat on any friday.. now its only friday during lent. Also, and you are from Michigan, so you will know what I am talking about, but, downriver Detroit, Catholics have decided that MUSKRAT flesh somehow qualifies as fish because it swims, but only in Michigan.. nowhere else.. It seems very strange to me.. If you are going to fast for God, FAST FOR GOD.. It is NOT fasting to eat fish instead of meat, or even macaroni and cheese and skip the meat all together.. (http://www.kolasfoodfactory.com/press/thechef.htm)

Not to mention that how fasting in the bible seems to be something that needs to be private.. Nobody should know when you are doing it.


Trying to understand ALSO said


Why do you feel that it is your place to judge the value of what I do to draw myself closer to God?

Im not judging what you do to draw yourself closer to God. I am judging what THE CATHOLIC CHURCH tells you that you have to do to draw yourself closer to God..
If you dont eat meat on fridays during Lent, and you give up chocolate or pop or doritos and that brings you closer to God, then Hallelujah!!! that is great, and keep on doing it. But God never said that this was the ordinance for Lent, and furthermore, it would not be sinful to go against this ordinace since God never ordained it. It just seems wrong. In fact, the Catholic church does a lot of things that seem really wrong.

 

Well, a few things come to mind:

You appear to judge in spite of your claim that you are not judging and you are deciding what Catholics should do to draw closer to God.

As I said: odd.

And I know not a single person who eats muscrat.

Where is the icon for throwing up?

Someone is pulling your leg.

As to eating meat at the funeral reception, no doubt Father was aware that nonCatholics were present also, and like Scriputure says, he sought to not offend them by having the Catholics refrain from consuming meat in their presence. Given the attitude of some on this board, someone would have taken great offense at Catholics not eating meat in that situation.

Still waiting for the verse that gives others the authority to judge Catholics for choosing to abstain from meat (but not holding my breath).

As for changes from abstaining from meat every Friday to only Fridays during Lent: Catholics are still required to do some form of self imposed penance on all Fridays. If some choose to abstain from meat, that is their choice, if some choose some other penance for purposes of self mortification to draw closer to God, that too is their choice.

Now, I suppose you will tell me that there is something wrong with that too.

 

Go to that link.. NOBODY is making anything up. It is true that downriver, Muskrat is officially not considered meat for Catholics.. Its not as popular as it once was..

I first saw this on the Food Network, because they were doing a show on the Muskrat fast food restaurant, (Kola Cafe), and then I looked it up, and sure enough,.. its rare, but its okay.

Im not judging you.. Im judging the catholic religion. Big difference.

and I will continue to judge it and look to it with scrutiny because I believe it holds a lot of people in unnecessary great bondage... my family included..

 

Went there. It says nothing about Muskrat not being considered meat for Catholics (officially or even unofficially).

If some individual Catholics want to kid themselves about muskrat not being meat that is up to their concious.

No doubt then you think that the Apostle Paul held the Church in bondage also because he told Christians to fast too.

My theory, Americans can't stand the idea of anyone having authority over them.

 

I have not judged you personally, I don't know you. I am questioning the practice. There must be some direct teaching that you follow or you would not be doing it.

An Apostle told us to be like the Bereaen's (sic) and search the scriptures to find if that which is taught is true.

Do you take in any food on your fast day or is it merely an abstinence from the meat of animals?

Again, I'm not judging you personally, but I find no reference where God is quoted as ordering a fast on Friday, or even an abstinence from the meat of animals. Perhaps you can help me.

 

No doubt then you think that the Apostle Paul held the Church in bondage also because he told Christians to fast too.

My theory, Americans can't stand the idea of anyone having authority over them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well.. God is my authority. Christ is the head of my church.. My husband has authority over me.
I dont think I have the problem you stated..

However

I do have a problem with people having spiritual authority of me, when those people say things that contradict the bible.

yes, the apostle Paul did tell people to fast.. but my problem is that giving up just meat, is not fasting.. Its not a sacrifice.. Nowadays, its pretty much just eating fish sticks and macaroni and cheese on fridays..

 

I also think,. that the Catholic church scares people from looking for the truth. They have to shy away from teaching everyone to read the bible and hold true to it, because so much of the bible contradicts with what "the church" says.. unless of course you have a priest to change things around and say that they have the authority to make things different.

Also, we are to judge things by its fruit, and I see little fruit in the Catholic church.

My father is a die-hard Catholic.. he was born a catholic, raised a catholic, raised us as catholic and he has so much fear that he wont even question it. I believe the bible tells us to search out scripture to make sure we are on the right path, not to blindly follow some church that has been known for all kinds of evil in its past years.

My dad is a great Catholic.. He really believes and really follows, but I just wish that he could get with some people and really celebrate his faith.. there is no community at his church.. its all just dead, impersonal, and sad..

 

Not enough entertainment, huh?

 

"Not enough entertainment, huh?"


My statement was not reguarding entertainment at all. My statement was reguarding the fact that MOST CATHOLICS ******ARE***** nominal at best. (I am shocked and amazed at the few I do come across, such as my dad).. I dont understand why he would stick with an old dead church instead of joining other believers who truly believe and CELEBRATE THEIR FAITH.. ie-talk about Jesus.. get excited about God being in your life.. having a longing to teach people about Christ, having a burden for souls,..reading your bible, having bible studies with fellow believers, joining in fellowship with other believers as opposed to silently going to your cars and flicking off the person in front of you because they accidently cut you off in the parking lot.. having some Christian love.. having religion be more than just what you have to do on sundays... etc..

and, if you are talking about entertainment, lets start with all the beer tents and gambling nights that go on in just about ever catholic parish in my big city of warren.

 

Boy! Does that bring back memories!! I think every parish in Buffalo and the surrounding towns had one of those every summer. Couldn't go a weekend without seeing at least one. Our church was one of the few that didn't condone gambling, even Bingo was taboo . But the beer flowed freely and our summer fiesta!

 

Sorry, guys. I'm getting a pharisee vibe.

I don't debate pharisees.

Pharisees see others they way that they want to, not necessarily how they are.

Pharisees also have a tendency to swarm if they think they smell blood (or in this case beer).

You guys can have your mosh pit of self-righteousness to yourselves.